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Plan to privatise RAF pilot training

MINISTERS are to press ahead with a controversial plan to pass Britain’s military pilot training to the private sector.

Four multinational consortiums are vying for the Military Flying Training System (MFTS) programme, which could be worth around £12.5 billion and run for 25 years. The groups are expected to be given preliminary study contracts to work up their bids this year.

Bidders will be expected to come up with a proposal to take over the running of Britain’s military pilot training system, including the financing and provision of new aircraft and high-tech training facilities.

BAE Systems, Britain’s largest defence contractor, has teamed up with Serco and Bombardier, while Roll-Royce has joined forces with Lockheed Martin and VT Group. Boeing and Thales comprise the third bidding group, with the last a collaboration between Kellogg Brown & Root and two divisions of America’s URS Corporation, EG&G and Lear Siegler.